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Hamidou Diallo's long wait for Kentucky basketball debut is almost over

He was “definitely” torn on what to do, Diallo said later, indicating how close he came to never actually playing in a game for the Wildcats.

“That's just the nature of it,” Diallo said. “I'm blessed that I had those opportunities, and I'm blessed those doors were open for me at the time, but right now I'm just focused on college basketball. … I'm very anxious, very confident. I just can't wait to get out there and play a full season again and just show Big Blue Nation what my game is about and what type of player I am.”

Oddly enough, Diallo returns as one of the more experienced rotation players on Kentucky’s team despite not playing in a game last season.

Nonetheless, he's expected to be a leading producer on the court and leading future on the team.

"I think he's really talented," said Alabama coach Avery Johnson, who said he recruited Diallo out of prep school. "That's why he entered his name into the NBA draft. I was hoping that he stayed in the draft. I know how explosive he is."

Much of Diallo’s path so far through college basketball has been unusual.

He enrolled early as a true freshman, joining Kentucky’s team at the start of the spring semester in January, but it wasn’t to play in games. He wanted to redshirt, practicing and sitting out games.

And what sounded good at first was understandably brought into question during the ups and downs of SEC play, testing the Diallo’s patience to perhaps help last season's Kentucky team in games.

“I mean, we talked about it, laughed about it, joked about it,” Diallo said. “Players on the team last year spoke to me about it, like 'Yo, you should really be playing.' But it was just a plan set, and I like to stick to plans.”

Diallo later admitted when he opted against the 2017 draft that “If I knew I was leaving after the semester (for the NBA), I would have played to help the team.”

The way it worked out, however, returning teammates have commended Diallo for sticking to the plan.

“Sitting out that year, I think, helped him a lot,” sophomore guard Brad Calipari said. “Being able to just practice, it didn't put him in a position to get hurt. Say he did do that (and play) and got hurt. I think it was a smart decision for him.”

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Hamidou Diallo, right, shoots near Wenyen Gabriel during UK's Big Blue Madness at Rupp Arena.(Photo: James Crisp; Special to the CJ)

“I think that was a really smart move,” UK sophomore forward Wenyen Gabriel said. “… I wish I had done what he did. I kind of had that opportunity. I think that was really good for him.”

In Diallo’s mind, “multiple things” caused him to ultimately return to UK despite such a serious flirtation with the NBA this past spring. But now with the decision made, he said he has been determined not to dwell on it moving forward.

“To be honest, I haven't thought about the draft ever since I came back to school,” Diallo said. “Ever since I came back, that was out the window. I mean, it was just like, 'I'm going to Year 1. I'm ready to play.’”